UNION MINISTER NITIN GADKARI has recently sparked resignation rumors and triggered speculation about a possible political power shift. The minister on Sunday, August 23, 2026, said at an event in Nagpur, Maharashtra, that the time has now come for “work to be handed over to the new generation who will be guided by the old one.” The 69-year-old continued that he has been “continuously working for the last 30 years” but could not “work much more now.” This statement spurred conversation about the minister possibly resigning from his official duties, prompting Gadkari's office to issue a statement clarifying that his statement was taken “out of the context,” and that the minister was in actuality referring to the young generation shouldering more load in his charity endeavors.

Putting an end to the rumors of a possible cabinet reshuffle, Gadkari’s office remarked that his statement “had nothing to do with politics” and were specifically about the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust which runs Ekal Vidyalayas —  one-teacher schools in remote rural and tribal villages in India to eradicate illiteracy.

See also: India's E20 Fuel Push Explained: Allegations on Nitin Gadkari’s Family, Ethanol’s Effect on Incompatible Vehicles and What Happened at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar Protest

“Nitin Gadkariji's statement had nothing to do with politics. He was speaking specifically about the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust, an organisation established by him that runs Ekal Vidyalayas in tribal areas. In that context, Gadkari said that he could no longer take on as much work as before and that the younger generation should be given an opportunity to take greater responsibility,”the statement from the minister's office said. 

“His remarks were clearly related to the functioning and future leadership of the Trust. However, some television channels are presenting the statement as a political remark, taking it out of its actual context," the statement continued.

What did Nitin Gadkari say that sparked resignation rumors?

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, was invited to address a gathering at the Eklavya Ekal Vidyalaya Shikshak-Parvekshak Parikshan Varg in Katol in Nagpur on Sunday, August 23, 2026. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was recalling the contributions of the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust — a non-profit backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and established by Gadkari himself — in promotion of tribal education.

Speaking about the work the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust has done in recent years, Gadkari remarked that he no longer has the same capacity to work as he used to before, and doesn't contribute much effort into the working of the trust nowadays. He suggested that the younger generation should be put into charge now, who will be guided by the older generations.

See also: What was the Scania Luxury Bus Controversy Involving Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari That Remains Unresolved Even After Five Years?

“Honestly, I am not a source of inspiration; nowadays, I can't work that much. I worked more when I could. I have since reduced my participation (in Mankar Trust's work). I have told everyone that now the work should be put into the hands of the new generation,” Gadkari said

"One day this work will grow so much that there will not be a single tribal village in Maharashtra left in darkness and there will be the light of development. This is the picture we all want to transform, and it is the work of Mankar Trust to change this picture," the Union Minister continued while listing out the Laxmanrao Mankar Trust's work and its future ambitions.

A broader political shift in the BJP

Gadkari’s remarks and the rumor mill discussing his possible resignation comes amidst a major reshuffle within the Bharatiya Janata Party. In a major overhaul of the party’s national office bearers team, Smriti Irani returned as general secretary and Ram Madhav was appointed as vice president.

Additionally, public sentiment against Gadkari has been on the rise over the minister's controversial ethanol-blended petrol policy. People have raised doubts about the speedrunning of the ethanol policy without proper considerations, and protested over the impact of the blended petrol on vehicles’ mileage and the damage it causes.

Suggested reading: